Wire or rod forming machine



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BY :QWE

INVENIOR-S April 1 1924. 1,488,850

B. L. VAN ORMAN ET AL WIRE OR ROD FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug. '25 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lflii, l an 0111mm, 7. V

IA'VENTORJ Huberf E/BGC/fl/J Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- BERT L. VAN ORMAN AND HUBERT V. BACKUS, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO L. A. YOUNG INDUSTRIES, INC., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

WIRE OR ROD FORMING MACHINE.

Application filed August 25, 1922. Serial No. 584,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BERT L. VAN ORMAN and HUBERT V. BAoKUs, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of e IVayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vire or Rod Forming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wire or rod working machines. Our improvements are especially designed by us for embodiment in machines for forming braces for spring cushion structures and we have illustrated our improvements as we have embodied them in machines for that purpose.

Certain features of our improvements, how

ever, are desirable for use in other relations.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide in a wire working machine an improved feed means whereby strips of wire or rods may be effectively fed to the bending mechanism.

Second, to provide an improved means for feeding strips of wire or rods which is 2 simple in structure and not likely to become clogged in use.

Further objects, and objects pertaining to details and economies of construction and operation will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

We accomplish the objects of our invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of our invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which: v

Fig. I is'a fragmentary perspective view of our improvements as we have embodied them in a machine for forming braces for spring structures. 4

Fig. II is a fragmentary end elevation looking from the right of Fig. I showing details of the feed actuating means.

Fig. III is a detail vertical section on a. line corresponding to line 33 of Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary view corresponding to that of Fi III with the feed memher in its actuate position.

Fig. V is a fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig. III showing details of the bending mechanism.

Fig. VI is a detail section on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Fig. V.

Fig. VII is a plan View of one of the braces formed by the machine.

In the drawing the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines and similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawin the pedestal l is designed to support the rame of the machine designated generally by the numeral 2. The hopper 3 is comprised of end walls 4 and side walls 5 which converge towards the bottom, these side walls being relatively narrow in the structure illustrated and being spaced to provide an opening for the feed rollers 6.

These feed rollers are disposed in the opening so as to constitute continuations for the side walls so that the rods or pieces of wire indicated at 7 rest upon the rollers. The rollers are-spaced to receive the rods between them one at a time.

The feed rollers 6 are connected by a pair of gears 8 (see Fig. II) so that they are oscillated in opposite directions. The rollers are given an oscillating movement, the operating means, as shown in Fig. II, consisting of the cam 9 on the main shaft 10 which extends through the machine, the fly-wheel 11 being carried by the opposite end of the shaft. This cam acts upon a roller 13 carried by the lever 14 which is connected by a link 15 to a second lever 16, the lever 16 being connected by the link 17 to an arm 18 on the end of one of the rollers 6. By this means the rollers are given an oscillating movement in opposite directions which works the rods between them effectively alining the rods and preventing their becoming clogged.

The rods are delivered-from the rollers in succession, or one by one, to a chute of such character that only one rod can pass therethrough; that is, they are delivered in a row as indlcated in Figs. III and IV. This chute comprises a pair of spaced groove-like members 19. At the lower end of the chute is a pair of feed arms 20 having segmental heads 21 which swing across the bottom of the chute and constitute a closure therefor. The heads have notch-like recesses 22 in their forward edges adapted to receive one of the rods; one of the recesses is alined with the chute, that is, one of the rods will pass into thesaid arm when the arm is in proper position and, when moved from that position the rods are supported by the feed members.

Keepers 23 are pivoted at 24 to coact with the notches, the keepers holding the rods in the notch until they are moved to releasing position by coming in contact with the stop which engages the upper end of the keepers. The lower end of the stop is beveled and the keeper is suitably-beveled 01' inclined so that the keeper is swung on its pivot against the tension of the spring 26 (see Fig. IV).

The bending means, the details of which however form. no part of our invention, comprises in the structure illustrated a pair of form members 27 supporting therods while acted upon by the bending disks 28 carrying pins 29 which engage the ends of the rod and bend them downwardly against 7 the ends of the form members as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. V.

The bending or forming disks are providedwith pinions 30 which are actuated by the racks 31. These racks are provided with actuating levers 32 pivoted at 33 and engaged by the cams 34 on the main shaft 10. The arms 20 are carried by the rockshaft 35 which also constitutes a support for the levers 16. r

The formed rods are discharged by means of the kick-01f levers 36 on the rockshaft 37. Therock-shaft 37 is provided with an arm 38 coacting with the cam 39 on the shaft 10. The rods are discharged into the trough 40 which is inclined as illustrated in Figs. I and III so thatthe formed rods or braces slide down to the lower end of the trough and can be conveniently removed therefrom and bundled.

Our improved machine is of large capacity and is not likely to become clogged. It effectively feeds the rods or pieces of wire to the bending mechanism and properly supports them while operated on by the bending mechanism.

We have illustrated and described our improvements in a form or embodiment which we have found very practical for the forming of brace rods for cushion springs. We have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations which we contemplate as we believe the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to which our invention relates to embody or adapt the same as maybe desired.

Having thus described ourinvention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: w

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a rod feeding means comprising a hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof and side walls converging to said opening, feed rollers disposed in said opening so that their upper sides constitute continuations of said convergin walls, said feed rollers being smooth an extending the length of the hopper and spaced to permit agingle rod to pass between them, actuating means for said rollers whereby they are oscillated in opposite directions, a chute disposed below said rollers to receive the rods discharged thereby and support them in a single row one behind the other as they are discharged from the rollers, and a swinging feed arm provided with a segmental head swinging across the bottom of said chute and constituting a closure therefor, said head having a recess adapted to receive one of the rods when the recess is aligned with the chute.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a rod feeding means comprising a hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof and side walls converging to said opening, feed rollers disposed in said opening so that their upper sides constitute continuations of said converging walls, said feed rollers being smooth and extending the length of the hopper and spaced to permit, a singlerod to pass between them, actuating means for said rollers whereby they are oscillated in opposite directions, and a chute disposed below said rollers to receive the rods discharged thereby and support them in a single row one behind the other as they are discharged from the rollers.

3. In a structure of the class described,

the combination of a rod feeding means comprising a hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof and side walls converging to said opening, and feed rollers disposed in said opening so that their upper sides constitute continuations of said converging walls, said feed rollers being smooth and extending the length of the hopper and spaced to permit a single rod to pass between them, actuating means for said rollers whereby they are oscillated in op osite directions.

n witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals.

BERT L. VAN ORMAN. [1,. a HUBERT v. BACKUS. [1,. a 

